Taking a major step to fulfill its mission to provide easier access to academic health care across South Florida, the University of Miami Health System has formed a collaboration with Walgreens, focused on delivering coordinated clinical care and pharmacy excellence in this region.
UHealth – the University of Miami Health System, will manage and provide all clinical services at 17 retail clinics within Walgreens stores in South Florida, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
In addition, Walgreens will soon open pharmacies at three University of Miami Health System facilities as its exclusive retail pharmacy provider. The new pharmacy at The Lennar Foundation Medical Center, UHealth’s state-of-the-art facility in Coral Gables, opened in December and all prescriptions from the UM pharmacy in the Student Health Services building on Merrick Street have been transferred there. Walgreens retail pharmacies at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and University of Miami Hospital are expected to open in January. Walgreens will also provide 90-day retail prescription benefits and specialty pharmacy services for the University’s employees and their families.
“This collaboration is an important step in UHealth’s commitment to improving the health of our community, employees, and their families with increased access to our high quality clinicians,” said Steven M. Altschuler, M.D., CEO of the University of Miami Health System and senior vice president for health affairs at the University of Miami. “We will provide a seamless and integrated health care experience for our patients regardless of where they receive their care across our University of Miami Health System.”
With this initiative, a unique endeavor in South Florida, the University of Miami Health System significantly expands its footprint across South Florida. Over the next few months, the 17 Walgreens Healthcare Clinics will transition to the University of Miami Health System. This spring, patients will begin seeing UHealth Clinics – University of Miami Health System at Walgreens across the region.
Patients who go to UHealth Clinics at Walgreens will experience transformative, research-based, personalized care for common illnesses and injuries or follow-up care for chronic diseases. Each of the locations will be staffed by University of Miami Health System nurse practitioners and will be open seven days a week, including evenings, with or without an appointment.
Walgreens and the University of Miami Health System will also form a joint council to share best practices and experiences that aim to improve patient care, quality, and satisfaction while reducing health care costs.
